


School Hard: Scene Re-write

by sevendeadlyfun



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Gen, Rewrite, dawn_all_along
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-28
Updated: 2010-08-28
Packaged: 2017-10-11 07:25:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/109919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sevendeadlyfun/pseuds/sevendeadlyfun





	School Hard: Scene Re-write

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

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[dawn-centric](http://sevendeadlyfun.livejournal.com/tag/dawn-centric), [gen](http://sevendeadlyfun.livejournal.com/tag/gen)  
  
  
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Characters: Dawn, Xander, Giles, Miss Calendar

Rating: PG-13

A/N: Written for the [](http://community.livejournal.com/dawn_all_along/profile)[**dawn_all_along**](http://community.livejournal.com/dawn_all_along/) ficathon. Con/Crit practically begged for, as I'm pretty darn uncertain about the quality on this one.

  


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**School Hard: Scene Re-write**   
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Dawn sighed, one leg swinging restlessly. Watching Buffy scamper around trying to keep Mom distracted had been fun, at first. Of course, if Mom had just believed Buffy from the beginning it would have been unnecessary. But, it was kind of an unbelievable story. After all, who gets mystically chosen to fight ooglie booglies?

My sister, Dawn thought grumpily. World Saver and all around crappy student. Mom was so uptight about Buff she hadn't had any excitement left for Dawn's straight A's. Buffy drama strikes again.

Still, it was nice hanging out in Slayer Central. She'd gotten a few good peeks into Mr. Giles' stash of baddy books and prolonged chance to ogle Xander. The Xander-ogling almost made this whole stupid night worthwhile. He really was the nicest guy ever. Xander always treated her like a real Scooby, talking to her and explaining things instead of just patting her on the head.

Although, if he wanted to pat her, she wouldn't mind. That sounded slightly wrong even in her own head. But, Xander was so cute and funny and sweet. He'd saved Buffy's life last year and that made him just that much more crush-worthy. She'd bugged Buffy for two weeks to describe the exact feel of Xander's lips. That got her precisely nowhere as Buffy got extremely huffy over the whole thing.

Geez! Yeah, okay she'd died. But only for like a minute, so it didn't really count or anything. Plus, Xander smoochies were so worth a little temporary death.

"…not even as old as Angel," Giles was saying when she tuned back in.

"Who," Dawn asked inquisitively.

"Oh," Giles said, voice heavy.

"That's a bad look, right?" Xander asked quietly.

"I think your suggestion of running away this Saturday might have been a good one," Giles responded. "Spike has fought two Slayers in the last century and…"

"And been sent away with a sharp retort to play nicely from now on," Xander interrupted desperately, swiveling to look at Dawn.

She sat there, frozen in her seat. Eyes wide, she stared at Giles. Somehow, she knew the ending of that sentence wasn't going to be a happily ever after one.

"He killed them, didn't he," Dawn burst out, shattering the unearthly stillness in the library. "This Spike guy. He's killed two Slayers already."

"I'm afraid so," Giles admitted.

"Don't worry, Dawnie," Xander comforted her. "Those Slayers didn't have a Scooby brigade for back up. Buffy'll be fine."

"Yeah," she replied, unconvinced. "She's the best Slayer ever, right?"

Reverberating shrieks from the hallway cut off Xander's reply. He, Mr. Giles and Miss Calendar rushed towards the door. Giles yelled "What the hell?" and that sent Dawn into a full out panic. She'd never heard Mr. Giles swear. Ever. This must be bad.

"Spike and an army! Look out!"

Buffy screaming. Yep, we have a confirmation of bad, Dawn thought dazedly as the trio rushed back in. Xander dove towards her, pushing her under the table.

She rolled with him, face buried in his chest. Huh. It only took a massive attack by the undead to get Xander's arms around her. Dawn couldn't help the laughter that bubbled up in her chest.

Xander ran a hand through her hair, rocking her slightly. He whispered in her ear, telling her not to be afraid. Buffy would take care of all the monsters.

"I…I…" Dawn gasped for air. "I think I'm…panicking."

Xander just kept repeating that everything would be okay. She didn't know how he could sound so certain. Spike or William the Bloody or whoever he was had managed those other Slayers just fine.

Horrible screeching filled the room, and Dawn peeked around Xander's arms. Mr. Giles and Miss Calendar were moving something in front of the door. Everything stopped and a terrifying silence descended as the entire library was plunged into darkness.

Xander pulled her chin up, face inches from hers. She blinked, trying to adjust to the loss of light. She tried to smile, wanting Xander to know she could be brave too.

"You gonna be okay," Xander asked, lips almost on her ear.

She nodded, and he slid out from under the table. Dawn knew she should stay where she was, but the need to know, to be useful, outweighed her fear.

"They've cut the phones," Giles said flatly.

Dawn whimpered slightly, fist pressed up to her mouth. Giles face took on a mad glow as he wandered away from the phones. This could not be good.

"Wait a minute." The words came out thin and reedy, as if Giles couldn't get enough air. "There's an old boarded up cellar behind the stacks. You can get out that way."

Giles rushed back, grabbing Xander roughly. His hands were shaking, and his voice quaked with excitement.

"Take Dawn. Find Angel. He knows about Spike. We need him," Giles told Xander in a rush.

"No," Xander rasped. "I'm not going anywhere until I know Buffy and Willow are all right."

"No one will be all right unless we get some help," Giles pleaded.

Dawn finally found her voice and whispered, "I can go. Alone, I mean. To get Angel."

"NO," Xander almost shouted. "Even if Buffy didn't decide that letting you out alone was a slay-worthy offense, I don't want you anywhere near Angel."

"Go," Giles pushed Xander towards the back of the library. "Get help and get Dawn to safety."

Xander tugged on Dawn's arm, apparently relenting. As he made his way past the tables, he shot back. "There's no such thing as safety here."


End file.
